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The power of saying little
In a world where everyone is talking, sometimes you get more attention when you post or say less. That’s when people want to hear what you have to say.
Is it time finally to move beyond fossil fuels?
The global fuel supply has been upended. We give you a range of News Decoder stories on the promise and problems of transitioning to alternative energy.
Let’s talk about that smelly feet problem
Foot odors are a common problem, but one most people are too embarrassed to talk about. That’s too bad, because there are some easy fixes.
Think like a journalist: survival skills for the digital age
The core principles of journalism are no longer just tools for the professional news reporter. They can help anyone navigate this information-saturated world.
Decoder: The ripple effects in Asia of Trump’s war on Iran
With the eyes of the world focused on the Strait of Hormuz, what is happening between China and its neighbors is largely ignored. That’s a mistake.
The fiery effects of political memes
Despite their simplicity, memes can both inspire new political voices and reinforce false narratives, and are affecting online discourse around the globe.
Decoder Replay: The world celebrates the world we live on
For Earth Day, we talk to the person who started the annual celebration to begin with. We learn that the best weapon for fighting climate change is education.
What if “sweet sixteen” meant “social media, at last!”
In response to pressure from parents, politicians in Switzerland and elsewhere are considering social media bans. But teens say that won’t solve the problem.
Hungarians show that Big Daddy tactics don’t always work
In the recent election, Hungarians proved that a strong-arm leader can be removed from power and that peaceful change is possible.
Ensuring survival of the furriest
In North India, people are learning to co-exist with an animal that has long terrified them.
Decoder Replay: Why be judged?
Who doesn’t want to be Best in Show? But all those who compete in talent and skill contests prove themselves to be a breed apart.
The welcome mat isn’t always out for international students
In the professional world, international experience is more needed now than ever before. But global politics is making it difficult to study abroad.
From one American to another
Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, has become a quiet foil to his most prominent compatriot, U.S. President Donald Trump.
Pakistan seeks to prove it can be a peacemaker
Long viewed through the lens of instability and internal crisis, the Islamic nation has emerged as a key mediator between the United States and Iran.
Decoder Replay: Can Britain’s bridge to Europe be rebuilt?
Back in 2016, a slim majority of British citizens voted to exit the European Union. A decade later, “Brexit” has made a far bigger majority of people unhappy.
In a multilateral world, don’t underestimate middle powers
By uniting on shared values, nations like Sweden, Brazil and New Zealand can push back against superpowers. Canada is leading the way.
Do we really know the world we think we know?
Many people picture Africa as desert, safaris and trash-filled cities. Of 54 nations and vibrant urban scenes? Not so much. Why do we think we know places we’ve never visited?
Can you tell fact from fiction?
On International Fact-Checking Day, we recognize the many ways truth has blurred and the ways people are working to separate what’s real from what’s false.
Decoder Replay: What does citizenship mean?
Depending on how nine justices decide a landmark court case, children born in the United States next year might, or might not, be U.S. citizens.
A predatory ecosystem that relies on child soldiers
While the world looks away, a war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has lasted for decades is getting worse. And it is being fought by children.
The healing power of salsa music
Latin dance is popular worldwide. And whether they lead or follow, people find salsa can build community and improve their health.
What if we just stop accepting?
What makes normalisation powerful is its invisibility. When something is everywhere, it stops feeling like a choice and starts feeling like a cultural norm.
When war leaves you without heat, it’s time to dance
It is cold in Ukraine, where Russian bombs have cut off power for heat and electricity. To keep people warm and sane, DJs have sprung into action.
Decoder Replay: Armed strength doesn’t equate to super power
The Roman army once conquered the world, but the Roman empire was ultimately brought down by primitive tribes. Are we seeing the decline of the U.S. empire?
When your future has no entry point
Young people face a Catch-22: employers demand previous experience before they will hire, yet artificial intelligence is taking over the entry-level jobs.
My country, at a crossroads
South Sudan is rich in oil and poor in everything else. Still waiting for the country to fulfill its promise of independence, its people find creative ways to cope.
Why must young people earn your respect?
We often hear how respect goes both ways. But talk to any teen and they’ll tell you that rule only seems to apply when you reach a certain age.
Is a girl’s virginity a communal possession?
Many cultures and religions around the world maintain traditions that cause physical harm. Why are so many practiced on young girls?
Decoder Replay: Forests to help the planet breathe
Redwood forests have survived only in the Pacific Northwest. But these carbon suckers will grow almost anywhere with a little land and a lot of love.
When you must fight for the right to imagine your own future
When war broke out in Sudan, schools and universities across the country shut down causing an educational crisis affecting some 19 million children.
You were so certain of that idea… until you weren’t
We absorb ideas the way we absorb language, not through argument but through immersion, until the position becomes indistinguishable from thought itself.
The only president I have ever known
Candidates make a lot of political promises. Why can’t they keep the vow to leave office when their term is up?
You are passionate about something. How is that a waste of time?
Parents love it when a kid reads books. Playing video games, not so much. What if the latter could be a career? Would the approval flip?
Decoder Replay: If a woman designed this place…
Women use cities differently than men but their needs have largely been ignored in urban planning. That’s starting to change.
Decoder: What has the United States gotten the world into now?
With the joint bombing of Iran with Israel, the United States may have begun a war without an endgame. Let’s help you make sense of the chaos.
Being alone is not the same as lonely
Society places value on being social. When we choose to bow out, people wonder what’s wrong. But sometimes healthy “me time” means: Just me.
Is judging people on “intelligence” the smart thing to do?
Society often puts people into one of two categories: Intelligent and worthy of attention, or stupid and ignored. But who sets the standards we must live up to?
At what age do you earn the right to speak up?
Children are often told: pipe down, keep quiet, sshhh! But maybe they have things to say that are worth hearing? At what age do you earn the right to speak up?
Can we help plants thrive even as we consume them?
On World Wildlife Day, the United Nations asks us to consider all the things we eat to keep us healthy and think: What if they all disappear?
What happens when we grow cold to suffering?
We are faced with a world full of disaster and suffering but feel powerless. The result? We stop caring.
Do we measure achievement only by our wins?
There seems little point in trying when our chances are small that we will score big. But only when we accept disappointment can we realize our potential.
Decoder Replay: We can’t stop scrolling. Whose fault is it?
Some think Big Tech is to blame for our inability to get off the social media that has left so many of us depressed. Why is it so hard to turn off the phone?
How I unlearned the anger I grew up with
Shouting and screaming in anger pushes people away. When we take responsibility for our emotions, we can reach understanding and deepen our relationships.
When it isn’t what the doctor ordered
With access to healthcare limited and expensive, many in Côte d’Ivoire and elsewhere turn to counterfeit drugs.
Is equality unreasonable?
February 20 is World Day of Social Justice. Around the globe, the majority of people accept that some have less while others have more. How does that play out?
When education stopped making sense
Young people across the globe are taking to the streets. In Morocco one demand is clear: Give us an education that helps us navigate the world we live in.
Decoder Replay: The power of individual climate action
To fight climate change, we can each do more than take the bus instead of drive. Systemic change is spurred when individual shouts becomes a collective outcry.
Decoder: Can you trust what’s on the medicine label?
Natural and herbal medicines are much cheaper than prescription pills. But whether they work and are safe is another story.
Does facing your own death give you a new lease on life?
Every moment could be our last opportunity in life, and this acknowledgement gives weight to our actions while stripping away trivial distractions.
Should generosity require reciprocity?
We learn that it is good to share what we have with those less fortunate. But when those around us simply take, important social bonds begin to fray.